Schools target overcrowding, but without redistricting

The Alamance-Burlington Board of Education wants to take on overcrowding, but it is not starting a redistricting process.

“People hear that and think we’re moving kids. That’s not what I’m talking about,” Vice Chair Patsy Simpson said. “What I’m talking about is looking at capacity, looking at growth, looking at facilities, looking at the desegregation order, looking at academic achievement, looking at it all.

“Let’s start the conversation.”

In a discussion at the board’s regular work session Monday afternoon, Simpson said the conversation could lead to rezoning for some schools, building a new school or magnet schools.

Board members talked about how the district should start the conversation, how to bring the public into it, and what outside advice it should bring in.

Alamance-Burlington School System Superintendent Lillie Cox made a presentation on the redistricting process including setting priorities and timelines. She also recommended bringing in experts on school facilities and planning.

Cox brought in Tom Hughes, architect from Sfl+ a Architects. He presented the board with a capacity study in the fall, saying the district has several overcrowded high schools, and overcrowding in the “cores” of others.

The cores are cafeterias, libraries and gyms. When there are more students than a cafeteria is built for, students end up eating lunch at 10:30 a.m.

Simpson, who has been asking for a hard look at how the district is using its schools for some time, said there are a pile of reasons to start talking and making decisions.

Student achievement, Simpson said, is the most important issue, and where students go to school has something to do with achievement.

Simpson said she thought the system’s use of satellite zones to increase racial balance in some elementary schools in the old city school system might violate Supreme Court rulings on using race to draw district lines.

Board member Steve Van Pelt said he wanted to have the discussion, but needed more data.

Simpson and board members Brad Evans and Pamela Thompson said the board has a history of gathering information and not making the hard decisions.

"Some of you don't want to deal with that," Evans said. "I'm ready."

Board member Jackie Cole said she wanted to get good information up front, even if it cost money, to avoid more expensive mistakes later.

Hughes told the board he can help the district bring in public input and gather information. Chair Tony Rose had some questions about Hughes’ role.

“I don’t like hiring an architect to go around telling us we need to build a high school,” Rose said.

Hughes said his role is to help the district solve its problems, not land a contract for a new school.

When Rose asked, Hughes said he would not have a problem if the district decided to hire a different firm if it did build a new school.

Rose said he wanted to make sure the district used its own staff and people from the community as much as possible and not rely only on expensive consultants. He said he also wanted to make sure the board brought the Alamance County Board of Commissioners into the discussion right away.